


Five People Who Told Mitch They Loved Him

by tillyenna



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Emotionally Repressed, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Unrequited Love, short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25958914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillyenna/pseuds/tillyenna
Summary: Five people who told mitch they loved himAnd one person Mitch told he loved themThis weeks challenge prompt was "“I didn’t tell you that I love you because I wanted to hear it back. I told you because I needed you to know."This is what sprang to mind.
Relationships: Mitch Maner & Dylan Strome, Mitch Marner/Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner/Matthew Tkachuk
Comments: 4
Kudos: 83





	Five People Who Told Mitch They Loved Him

**5\. His mom**

It’s not a phrase that’s said often in the Marner household, Mitch knows his mom loves him, but saying the words out loud seems awkward and uncomfortable. He remembers her saying it as they’d shipped him off to his first billet however, and he’d just shrugged and then hugged her, the words catching in his throat, so he doesn’t say anything at all. He can’t stop thinking about it for the entire drive, whether she’ll be mad at him for not saying it back, surely she knows that he loves her back, and then why can’t he say it, if they both know it.

His dad drops him off with his billet family and after the introductions are done and Mitch’s bags are in his new bedroom, his dad starts to head back on the long drive in the opposite direction. His dad’s final parting words are about watching his edges and keeping his head up. He doesn’t think his dad has ever told him he loved him – he’s not sure his dad loves anything other than hockey anyhow.

**4\. His brother**

Chris says it the night of the draft, fierce and proud and for a moment Mitch feels it, but it scares him so much he pulls away.

“The fuck?” He snorts at his brother, “Do I need to get you a Kleenex like mom?”

“Fuck off Mitchy,” Chris snarks back, and they’re back to their normal behaviour.

“Mom,” Mitch whines, “Chris just swore at me, and like, that’s disrespectful to the leaf.” He gestures down at the leaf on his jersey.

“Jealous doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel right now.” Chris tells him honestly, and punches him solidly on the arm, and that feels more like a declaration of love that Mitch can cope with

**3\. Dylan Strome**

The thing about hearing the words from Dylan is they don’t surprise him. Dylan tells everyone he loves them, he’ll tell you after a beautiful goal, or when he’s drunk, or high on a win, or just high. Honestly, Dylan is the most affectionate person Mitch knows, he says it to his mom and dad at the end of every phone call, he even says it when he calls his brothers. It’s downright weird in Mitch’s mind.

“Will you get off me.” Mitch pushes him away after he’s said it, batting away the kiss that Dylan is trying to press to his cheek.

“Nope.” Dylan pops the p, and squeezes Mitch tight, using his superior height to his advantage, “You’re going to accept my Captainly love and you’re going to like it.”

“Why did they even give you the C eh?” Mitch chirps.

“Because they wanted a Captain who could love each and every player on this team.”

“Disgusting.” Mitch rolls his eyes

**2\. Matthew Tkachuk**

Chucky says it with a groan, rolling over after sex and they both freeze.

“That was awkward.” Mitch smirks at him.

“Fuck off.” Chucky flips him the middle finger, “Your ass has fucking bewitched me or something.”

“No such thing as a love spell,” Mitch teases, “Just my ass yeah?”

That starts Chucky off giggling, and then Mitch joins in and it’s like the awkwardness of the moment has passed – still, it makes Mitch feel nervous and he tries to distance himself from Chucky for a few months after that. They don’t stop sleeping together sure, but he stops staying the night

**1\. Auston**

Auston says it when they’re sat cuddling on the couch. They’ve been screwing around most of their rookie season, and they hang out a lot because they’re best friends, but Mitch didn’t think they were dating or anything.

When the words come out of Auston’s mouth, Mitch knows he tenses up. “I…er…” he stammers, completely unable to formulate a response.

“No,” Auston tells him, reaching across to put a finger across Mitch’s lips, “Shut up. I didn’t tell you that I love you because I wanted to hear it back. I told you because I needed you to know. I didn’t tell you I love you because I thought you might love me back, I’ve told you precisely because I know that you don’t. Listen, Mouse, you’re so stuck in your own head about love, you’ve built it up to be this enormous terrifying thing that you can’t cope with and aren’t worthy of. It’s like you’re so terrified of not being loved back that you won’t let yourself love anyone, and honestly Mouse, sometimes you act like if you give someone your love then that’s it, you’ll be out of love forever, but love isn’t fucking pie Mouse, it’s not going to run out.”

“Are you done?” Mitch can’t even bring himself to look at Auston.

Auston sighs and leans forward to press a kiss to Mitch’s temple. “I love you Mouse.” He says again, “I love you so fucking much ok?”

Mitch just shrugs. “OK,” he says back, because honestly, what else can he say at this point. He doesn’t think anyone’s ever known him like Auston knows him.

**0\. {redacted}**

He’d seen the pictures online, but they weren’t the same as in person, and when he gets to the house, he’s practically twitching with anticipation.

The woman he’d spoken to on the phone lets him in, and shows him through to a room where they’re all there, climbing on each other, playing and walking around on unsteady feet.

“Let me just go and get the paperwork,” She smiles at him, “And then you can take him home.”

“Can I…” Mitch falters for a moment and then decides that it’s going to be his damn dog so he can do what he wants, “Can I hold him while you do that?”

“Sure,” She picks him up out of the bunch and hands him over, “Here he is.”

Mitch doesn’t even notice her leaving the room, he’s too busy staring into the dark brown eyes. He lifts the puppy up so they’re facing each other, pressing their noses together. “Hey Zeus.” He says softly, he’d already picked the name out. “How do you feel about coming home with me eh?”

The paperwork is all sorted, and Mitch hands over the payment before heading back out to the car, he’s not let go of Zeus once, managing to sign everything with a squirming puppy in his arms.

He’s got puppy pads in the crate for the journey, although it’s not going to be a long one, but Zeus starts whining as soon as he puts him in the car.

“Hey, Zeus, buddy…” Mitch sticks his face into the crate to receive licks from Zeus, “It’s ok, I’m right here bud, I’m just going to drive us home, ok?”

It’s not a long drive, but Zeus whines the whole way and Mitch can feel it tearing at him like a hole in his heart. As soon as he parks his car he throws his seat belt off and practically jumps out to go and get Zeus out of the crate.

“Hey,” he croons softly, “I’m sorry buddy, I won’t do that to you again for a while ok?” He presses a soft kiss to the top of Zeus’ snout, “I promise you’ll get to like the car ok? And until then we’ll just walk places and do cool stuff together.”

Zeus snuffles back at him, licking him right on the nose.

“Oh bud,” Mitch grins, “I love you so much.”

**Author's Note:**

> SEE! I CAN WRITE NOT ANGST. I mean, there was a bit of angst in there sort of. But like, whatever :P  
> [@princesstillyenna](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/princesstillyenna)


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